Ocean Thrill Rides

The next level of jet boat rides!

Ocean Thrill Rides

Why is Ocean jet boating the next level of jet boating? Allow me to explain!

Jetboats rides have gained a reputation for extreme fun over the last decade. A large portion of this is without any doubt due to the fantastic marketing (and experience) of the famous “Shot-Over Jet” in New Zealand.

Many have tried to replicate that experience overseas and in Australia, with rather limited success. The incredible terrain that the New Zealand operators have to work in is simply not available anywhere in Australia. And if it were I rather doubt we would ever see a thrill ride authorised to operate in such an environment! The boats they use are custom built for the environment allowing the pilots to spin without fear of losing too much speed and running aground. They can create a boat because the rivers (Or streams really) that they operate in are so shallow and protected the water surface is ALWAYS “glass like” smooth. Tiny ripples are the worst they get! As such their boats need not worry about waves, or even wind. The bottom is totally flat – or even slightly concave on some!

When you get to Australia, jet boats have very different conditions to cope with. Sydney harbour, Gold Coast broad water, even Perth’s Swann river all have other vessels in them creating waves via their wake, and are very much subject to the weather conditions impacting on the water surface. So these jet boats are not totally flat but need a little bit of a v bottom to be able to deal with such conditions. This in turn affects how they spin and handle. No problem but then you need to take the locations into account and, in all honesty, it can be a little “Ho-Hum” (boring). Once you get used to a boat spinning around on flattish water the thrill is soon lost. Same with speed. This is where Shot over use the remarkable cliff formations and structures to keep you wondering if you are going to crash into them. Not possible here as already mentioned.

This is where the ocean conditions come into play. We already have modified jet boats for “choppy” waterways. They don’t really do well in true waves and swell though. So a new design was needed for open ocean conditions. More of a deep V to be able to track true but as flat as possible at the rear to allow for the jets to work effectively (and allow for spinning). Getting a little wet on flat or choppy water is one thing, but on the open ocean you could get a large wave right over the boat (and we do). Everything would be totally drenched and basically very uncomfortable. Hence the vessel being fully enclosed with a heavy duty plexi-glass door arrangement. double the hull thickness to be able to cope with the extreme forces the ocean creates. Double the power to push this much heavier vessel along at breakneck speed. Double the safety with reccaro racing seats and 4 point harness seat belts. Double the comfort with air-conditioning and no need to wear the lifejackets during the ride. And tenfold the trills as every ride is different! The ocean changes every moment and our pilots have had to learn to read and react to this ever changing environment. We know how to spin the boat in the valleys, on the crests, going up the wave face and even going down the wave face (if the wave is suitable). We can jump from wave to wave, surf waves jump waves (not too often as landings can be a bit rough), The boat will feel like it’s about to tip over as we surf a wave face. You will wonder what the heck we are doing when a large wave makes it way to the boat looking like it will swamp us all. And if you are out on a calmer day we may even dive under a small wave! Add in all the other manoeuvres that jet boats are capable of and you begin to understand that this is a thrill ride that is truly a new experience.

New Zealand has it stunning and scary rocky streams. We have our stunning (and now scary) ocean and coastline, and we are extemely proud to make use of it in a very special manner!

Vessel and ride ratings

Power capacity of the engines

70%

Luxury and comfort - Interior

80%

Our Staff (and their skills)

100%

Vessel Safety

95%

Fun Factor rating

100%

Title

Why the Above ratings?

70% for the power? Well the 2 massive Cummins engines are not (Yet) tuned to their maximum output. Partly because the speed we are already capable of is more than enough to become dangerous if used incorrectly. Partly because we want to make sure the engines remain highly reliable.

80% for Luxury & Comfort? We want it to be as comfortable as possible for you but we also are extremely aware that safety is far more important than comfort. This trade off means that as comfortable and luxurious the boat is, we cannot make is “Lounge like” and keep you physically as safe as possible.

95% for vessel safety? This is an extreme experience. There is always a small risk that something could potentially happen. Anyone could lose a phone they are holding onto (should not be in their hand but….) for instance. We make it as safe as possible, but let’s be honest. It’s not really extreme without a little risk is it!?….

Terms and Conditions are important.

Our Terms and Conditions are important to understand. You can read them by clicking here:
TERMS & CONDITIONS

Frequently Asked Questions – ANSWERED

Looking for a more detailed explanation of something in our Terms and Conditions? Or maybe you are looking for other information on our services and products? Have a read of the most commonly asked questions - and the answers - we get from customers here:
FAQ

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PRICING & PACKAGES